Colorado catastrophy

Colorado casino gambler Louise Chavez thought she had hit the bigtime at the Fortune Valley Casino last week when the bells rang and lights flashed as a slot machine told her she had just won $42 million, reports Fox25.

"People were coming up to me and saying I won $42 million," Chavez recalls. "Lights were flashing, it sounded like a fire truck, the screen said 'see attendant'."

Chavez's jubilation was short-lived, however, as casino staff told her that the win was due to a machine malfunction and she would not be paid the amount claimed.

Instead, Chavez was offered a complimentary room, free breakfast and the $23 that she had put into the machine.

The disappointed punter said she will continue to push for the jackpot payout: "I played the game, I put my money into the machine, whether it's $42 million, $42 000 or $4 000, I should get what the machine said," she asserted.

The Colorado Division of Gaming will now look for forensic information in the machine's software, and there is a possibility that Chavez could still win some money.